Determinants of Problem Solving, Social Support Seeking, and Avoidance: A Path Analytic Model

This study used Structural Equation Modeling to test a theoretical model linking stress, self-efficacy, trait resilience, secure attachment, and motivation to 3 coping responses: problem solving, social support seeking, and avoidance. Participants were 326 Taiwanese college students. The results, interpreted based on theory, seemed to show that self-efficacy, trait resilience, and motivation could influence students' problem solving; stress, secure attachment, and motivation could affect their social support seeking; and stress, self-efficacy, and trait resilience could influence their avoidance (the latter 2 were negatively correlated with avoidance). Mediational effects were also found. The effect of stress on problem solving seemed to be mediated by self-efficacy, trait resilience, and motivation; the effect of stress on social support seeking seemed to be mediated by secure attachment; and the effect of stress on avoidance seemed to be mediate by trait resilience. Other mediating effects were also found and discussed.